Thomas' New Branch Line
by DonaldDouglasandToby6
Summary: (Adaptation of the RWS book "Tank Engine Thomas Again".) So this is a sequel to my previous installment of this sort of story: James the Red Engine. Follow Thomas as he learns that life on his branch line isn't dull when he meets new friends, learns the importance of a guard, and wants to go fishing.
1. Thomas and the Guard

It has now been a few weeks since Thomas has gotten his branch line.

He adores the line to the fullest, and thinks he was very lucky indeed to earned it.

Along with the branch line, he had also gotten two coaches of his very own.

Their names were Annie and Clarabel, and despite them needing new paint, Thomas quickly bonded with them, even after their encounters in the yard.

Presently, Thomas stopped at Dryaw Station.

He let off steam, anxiously waiting for the guard's whistle.

"Do you know what I think?" Thomas asked.

"What, Thomas?" asked Annie.

"I think my branch line is the most important part of the whole railway. Wouldn't you agree?" asked Thomas confidently.

"What a surprise." chuckled Clarabel.

"Thomas, this isn't you being selfish, is it?" asked Annie sternly.

"Goodness me, no! Um... I just really like the line, that's all." Thomas said awkwardly, trying to hide the pride in his voice.

Clarabel rolled her eyes.

"Admit it Thomas, you're proud you got the line."

"Well, of course I am. It's hard to come by a branch line as beautiful as this." Thomas grinned.

"Oh Thomas..." muttered Annie, but Thomas ignored her.

"And, of course, bringing passengers up and down the line is always a great aspect."

"Don't we carry the passengers?" Annie said.

"...maybe, but I pull them." Thomas grunted.

"Well, I do carry luggage and the guard too." Clarabel said.

The guard blew his whistle, and climbed into Clarabel.

Thomas whistled, and started to puff out of the station.

Sometimes, Thomas likes to sing to his coaches.

"Oh, come along, we're rather late! Come along, we're rather late!" Thomas puffed quickly as the tank engine started into the countryside.

Annie and Clarabel couldn't help but giggle to themselves; they were used to Thomas singing like that.

They didn't mind, because they know he's just trying to please the Fat Controller; no-one would want to blame him, since it'd bad to be someone's bad side just after a huge reward.

And so, the coaches sang back.

"We're coming along, we're coming along!" they sang in unison.

Thomas chuckled to himself, but then started to grumble.

Annie and Clarabel soon have gotten used to this too; they know that when Thomas got cross, he never was cross with them. He cared for them too much for that to happen.

"You want to know another reason we're the most important? Because those Main Line Engines keep on making me late! It isn't my fault, but I always have to make up for lost time!" he complained.

"Surely not Edward." Clarabel said.

"No, not Edward," Thomas said sheepishly, "But it's often Gordon, Henry, and James. Especially Henry. I don't know what's wrong with him; it isn't raining, and he got over that fear before I even got this line."

Soon, Thomas arrived at Knapford Station.

He looked out onto the Main Line, but saw no Henry.

"I'll give him a few minutes." he muttered to himself.

But still, there was no sign of Henry.

As time went on, Thomas got crosser and crosser.

"I can't believe this! How can I run my line properly if Henry is always late? He doesn't realize the Fat Controller depends on me to keep this line going." Thomas grumbled.

"Now Thomas, I'm sure he has a reason." Clarabel soothed.

"He better." Thomas fumed.

He whistled impatiently.

Just as he did so, Henry's whistle rang through the air.

"About time." Thomas huffed as the green engine puffed to the platform next to the tank engine.

"Where have you been, lazybones?" Thomas scowled.

Henry winced; this wasn't the usual teasing Thomas had used in the yard. This time, Thomas was very cross.

"I-I-I can't help it Thomas... My system's out of order. I do go slowly... but I wish I could go faster. No-one understands how it feels. Not even Edward, even if he tries to help. I like your determination Thomas, but you just don't know how I suffer." Henry sighed sadly as the passengers angrily boarded Annie and Clarabel.

Thomas scoffed.

"What rubbish! You're too fat; you need more exercise!"

Henry gasped.

"Thomas... you don't mean that... do you?"

"Why would I not?" Thomas grumbled.

Henry looked hurt, but didn't say anymore.

Thomas rolled his eyes as he heard Annie and Clarabel whisper to each other.

Finally the two coaches spoke up.

"That wasn't exactly called for, Thomas!" said Annie.

"Oh please, he made me late. How can you forgive an engine for that?" Thomas huffed.

"Henry has been have having steam issues, Thomas." scolded Clarabel, "You can't blame him."

But Thomas just let off steam angrily.

"What about the time when you thought Edward was going to be late, when he wasn't?"

"...uh...that was...a precaution?"

"Suuure it was, Clarabel..."

Soon, Thomas' guard blew his whistle.

"Time to go." Thomas said impatiently, and he started out of the station.

The guard jumped for his space in Clarabel, but he tripped over an old lady's umbrella that had been lying on the platform, and he fell right on his face.

"You alright, sir?" asked a man.

"I suppose so." the guard muttered, and he picked himself up.

But by the time he looked up again, he saw Thomas, Annie and Clarabel puff away, back down the branch line.

Frantically, he started to blow his whistle.

"Come along, come along." Thomas sang again as they started to puff into the countryside.

But Clarabel didn't want to come.

Suddenly, before she could say anything, she heard panting, and saw the guard running along the rails, with a red flag in his hand.

"I've lost my nice guard, I've lost my nice guard." Clarabel sighed when she saw that the guard wasn't running fast enough.

Alarmed, Annie looked from Clarabel to Thomas.

"Thomas, we should stop and pick up the guard!" she cried.

But Thomas wasn't listening.

"There's no time for jokes, Annie and Clarabel. I have to get to Dryaw before the Fat Controller says anything to me. I can't risk going back to the yard!" and he started to go faster.

"We haven't a guard! We haven't a guard!" shouted Annie and Clarabel together.

"Annie, I don't think Thomas is listening." Clarabel said sadly.

"Let's try to put on our brakes. Maybe that'll stop him." suggested Annie, but they soon realized they couldn't without the guard.

"Oh, what am I do without the kind guard?" Clarabel groaned.

"We'll think of something." whispered Annie.

"Where is our guard?" Clarabel wailed, but Annie didn't know.

Thomas rolled his eyes at the coaches' antics.

"You two need to cut it out; you're not fooling me."

Suddenly Thomas looked ahead and saw a red signal in the distance.

"Oh, bother that signal! Now I'll be later than before." Thomas groaned as he started to stop.

Annie and Clarabel sighed in relief.

"What's the matter?" asked Thomas.

"Haven't the faintest idea." said his driver, "But the guard should tell us in a moment."

But Thomas didn't see the guard.

"Where's the guard?" asked Thomas anxiously.

"We've been telling you throughout the journey. We have no guard!" said Annie.

"Specifically, we left him behind back at Knapford." Clarabel agreed.

Thomas was surprised.

"B-but..."

But before he could say another word, everyone heard a loud wheezing and panting.

"Look! Look! It's the guard! It's the guard!" Clarabel cheered, and it was.

He was running along the rails as fast as he could, with his flags in one hand and his whistle in another.

"I... (pant) made it... Thank goodness (pant) for that signalman." the guard said, leaning on Clarabel.

Thomas' crew and a couple of passengers ran up to him.

"You're all red. Should I get you some water?" asked the fireman.

"Thank you." and the guard had a drink.

"What exactly happened?" the driver asked, "We heard your whistle."

"It was that dang umbrella! If it wasn't for that, I would've gotten onboard." the guard muttered, shaking his head, "Then i ran out here."

But Thomas felt very upset indeed.

"I'm so sorry, mister guard. I should've waited longer for you." Thomas said sadly.

"Wasn't your fault." said the guard kindly, "Like I said, that stupid umbrella."

The signal changed to green.

"Look, the signal's down! We better make up for lost time!"

Thomas whistled and started to puff away.

"I have my guard!" Clarabel sang happily.

But Thomas still felt a little guilty.

"Erm... Annie, Clarabel, I just want to apologize for not listening to you about the guard." he said.

"Oh, that's quite alright, Thomas! Go as fast as you like!" Annie said.

"Indeed. A mistake any engine could make!" Clarabel agreed.

Throughout the rest of the journey, whenever Thomas left a station, the two coaches sang out, "As fast as you like!"

And Thomas gladly took the opportunity.

In fact, Thomas went so quickly, that he reached Ffarquhar in no time at all.


	2. Thomas Goes Fishing

Thomas was having a lovely day on his branch line; he had no further incidents since he left his guard behind.

But Annie and Clarabel hadn't forgotten an incident that happened before Thomas had left the guard at the station.

"Thomas," Annie spoke up, "Perhaps you should apologize to Henry?"

"Why?" said Thomas huffily, "He made me late that day-"

"But you were very rude." Clarabel said firmly, "When we reach Knapford, we're going to apologize, alright?"

"...fine." pouted the tank engine.

There's a station by a river named Elsbridge, and by Elsbridge was the Elsbridge Viaduct.

Thomas was crossing this viaduct, on his way back to Knapford Station.

He looked down, to find a few fishermen at the bank of the river.

"Oi, Barry! Look at this! I've got one!"

"Pull it in, Rob, pull it in!"

"It's resistant, it is... Maybe I should-"

"Nah, that'd be stupid. Just hurry up. I've got a pan ready."

"Can't we stay and watch?" pleaded Thomas.

"No. What would the Fat Controller say if we were late, Thomas?" said his driver.

That got Thomas to not say anything else, but he still longed to stay.

Soon, Thomas arrived at Knapford Station.

As expected, Henry was his connection.

He looked away angrily when he saw Thomas.

Thomas looked down to his buffers in shame.

"Go on, Thomas." said Annie.

"You can do it." added Clarabel.

Thomas looked up at Henry.

"Henry... I'm sorry." he said quietly, "It was very wrong to say what I did..."

Henry looked over to Thomas, but he still looked cross.

"It was wrong, even for me... And... I should've realized you had a steam problem... I hope you feel better, Heny." Thomas said sincerely.

Henry was surprised.

"Y-you mean that, Thomas?"

"Of course I do. Can you forgive me..." Thomas asked quietly.

"Yes. Yes I can, little Thomas." grinned Henry.

Thomas felt very pleased, but his mind started to drift.

"I wonder what it's like to fish..." Thomas muttered.

"Fish?" asked Henry.

"I want to fish." Thomas said.

"Engines don't go fishing." chuckled Henry and he puffed away.

Thomas frowned.

"Of course they do... right?"

Just then, James arrived with a goods train.

"I want to fish." Thomas moaned.

James stopped at the platform and cocked an eyebrow.

"...fish...?"

"Yes, fish."

James began to laugh.

"But engines don't go fishing!"

Thomas was cross as he puffed away, back to his branch line.

"Silly stick in the muds." he muttered impatiently as he rumbled into Dryaw.

"I should like to go fishing." Thomas said longingly as the guard blew his whistle.

Annie and Clarabel giggled.

"Engines don't-"

"Nonsense, Clarabel. I'll prove to you engines can fish!"

Thomas generally had to take on water at Elsbridge.

By the time Thomas arrived at the station, he was quite thirsty indeed.

"I need water." Thomas groaned as he stopped.

The fireman clambered out of the cab and started to the water tower.

He put the pipe into Thomas' water tank, and turned the tap, but no water came out.

"Oh no, look!" Thomas grumbled, "There's a sign saying 'Out of Order'! Bother, I'm thirsty!"

"Not to worry, Thomas," said his driver, "We'll just get some water from the river."

Thomas was excited as his crew got back in the cab and he puffed to the viaduct.

As Thomas stopped, some confused passengers looked out of their windows.

"What's going on?" asked a woman.

"Due to difficulties, we're going to get some water from the river." called the fireman.

Thomas looked down and noticed a bucket and some rope beside the line.

"Look, I found some rope and a bucket! We can use that!" Thomas said.

"Perfect." said the driver and he tied the rope to the bucket; then, he let the bucket down to the river.

But the bucket was old, and five holes, from all sides.

This meant they had to scoop up water, pull the bucket back up, and pour the water into Thomas' tanks before the water spilled.

The fireman began to hung a song.

But the driver wasn't amused.

"Quit your humming and make sure you don't get that water over me!"

"Trust me, if I could, I would." said the fireman.

"...this uniform costs money, you know!"

"Exactly."

Thomas giggled, but it took a long time to fill the water tanks up.

"Are we ready to go?" Thomas said, bored.

"Hopefully, yes." said the driver and Thomas started off at last.

"That's good. That's good." murmured Thomas as he chuffed over The Watermill.

Annie and Clarabel ran happily behind, pleased that they were starting again.

The train puffed through the valley with ease, and started through Hackenbeck Tunnel when Thomas began to feel a pain in his boiler.

He groaned in pain.

"Thomas, what's wrong?" asked Annie urgently.

"My boiler... It hurts!" Thomas moaned.

"Should we stop?" suggested Clarabel.

Suddenly, steam hissed from the blue engine's safety valve in an alarming way.

The driver gasped.

"There's too much steam!"

The fireman, now alarmed, opened the tap in the feedpipe to let more water into the boiler, but to his surprise, nothing came.

"Oh...dear..." moaned Thomas, "I'm going to burst! I'm going to burst!"

This alarmed Annie and Clarabel.

"Oh no, oh no!" they cried.

The fireman dampened his fire, and Thomas reluctantly continued.

"I'm going to burst... I'm going to burst..." he hissed, "I've got such a pain... I've got such a pain..."

Annie looked worriedly to Clarabel.

They continued on to Ffarquhar, but Thomas still wasn't better.

Not wanting to let his passengers down, Thomas stopped at the platform.

"I... did... it... OW!" Thomas cried.

The passengers could see Thomas was in pain.

"Is there anything we can do to help him?" an engineer asked.

"I think it'd be best if we got professionals to deal with this." said the fireman as the driver uncoupled Annie and Clarabel.

"Will you be alright, Thomas?" asked Annie worriedly.

"I... think so... Oooh, I'm going to burst!"

The crew ran Thomas slowly out of the way, and onto a siding.

While the guard telephoned an engine inspector, and the fireman was putting out the fire, the driver was painting bold letters.

"What are those for?" asked Thomas weakly.

"It's to warn people." explained the driver, and he hung the two notices on front and back.

They said "DANGER, KEEP AWAY".

Just as Thomas' driver was finishing up, the Fat Controller's car pulled up.

"Cheer up Thomas," the Fat Controller said, "We'll soon put you right."

"Let's see what the problem is." the inspector said, "Driver, explain please."

"Alright. Our engine started having a pain in his boiler; there was too much steam, but we couldn't get any water to come out of the feedpipe."

"So the feedpipe is blocked." decided the inspector, "I'll just look in the tanks."

He climbed up and peered in.

A funny burning smell came from the tanks.

The inspector sniffed.

Then he came down.

"...excuse me, sir... Can you please look in the tanks and tell me what you see?" the inspector asked.

"Certainly, inspector." said the Fat Controller, and he clambered up.

The Fat Controller sniffed and stared inside the tanks.

What he saw nearly made him fall off in surprise.

"Inspector..." he whispered, "Can you see... fish?!"

Thomas was surprised.

"Fish?! I have fish in my tanks?!"

"Apparently so, Thomas," said the inspector, "I'm just as confused as you are."

"Goodness gracious me!" cried the Fat Controller, "How did the fish get there, driver?"

The driver scratched his head as realization dawned on him.

"Oh... Uh... We must've gotten the fish from the bucket when we lowered it in the river.

The Fat Controller laughed heartily.

"Well, Thomas," he chuckled, "It seems you and your crew went fishing. But fish don't suit an engine, so we must get them out."

"Please do..." mumbled Thomas.

The driver and fireman fetched fishing rods and nets, and soon, they were fishing fish out of Thomas' water tank.

The Fat Controller oversaw the operation.

"Careful now. Steady now... Good job, lads! Alright, now go over to that side and get some more."

Soon, they had caught all the fish.

The Fat Controller suddenly thought of an idea.

He whispered something to the driver, fireman, inspector, and guard.

They all snickered as the guard went to get some potatoes from the stationmaster.

He came back soon enough with a large sack.

Then, the driver ran into the building, and came back with a frying pan.

Thomas was confused.

"What are they doing?" he asked to himself.

Then, the fireman made a fire beside the line, and started to cook.

When the cooking was done, all the men went together and had a lovely picnic supper of fish and chips.

"Mmm... That was good." said the Fat Controller as he finished as piece of potato, "But fish don't suit you Thomas, so you mustn't do it again."

Thomas groaned sadly.

"No sir, I won't sir. Engines don't go fishing. It's too uncomfortable."

Annie and Clarabel laughed as Thomas was soon backing away to them.

"How was fishing?" teased Clarabel.

"Not fine." grumbled Thomas as he started his next train, "Too painful."


	3. Thomas, Terence and the Snow

Soon, autumn came to the Ffarquhar Branch Line, and Thomas was busy as usual.

He noticed all the green leaves were now brown, and a few trees were bare.

"Look at all the colors!" Thomas said excitedly.

"Indeed, Thomas. Autumn is a colourful season." chuckled Annie.

Along with the leaves, the fields were changing too.

Instead of yellow stubble, the fields were now all brown earth.

As Thomas puffed by one of these fields, he saw a peculiar-looking machine, plowing.

"Who and what is that thing?" asked Thomas.

"That's a tractor, Thomas," explained Clarabel, "It plows fields so farmers can plant seeds."

"Looks rather... off." muttered Thomas.

The tractor, however, took no notice of Thomas, and carried on with its work.

One day, Thomas rounded a bend and saw the field.

And with the field was the tractor.

"There's that thing again." said Thomas quietly.

Then he noticed a signal up ahead was red.

"Ugh, not again." he sighed as he stopped.

The tractor was close by, and seemed to be having a rest.

"He seems friendly." whispered Annie.

But before Thomas could say anything, the tractor looked over the fence at him.

"He's looking at me." he gulped to himself.

But the tractor was smiling.

"Hello," he said, "I'm Terence, the tractor. I see you're the new engine running this line. Much faster than that Coffee Pot. I think his name was Glynn or something... Anyway, what are you doing?"

"Pulling a train." huffed Thomas, "What are _you_ doing?"

"I'm plowing." said Terence cheerily.

"Told you..." grumbled Clarabel.

"What's your name anyway?" asked Terence.

"I'm Thomas..."

Then Thomas noticed Terence's treads.

He stared for a while.

Terence noticed this.

"You interested in my treads? Well, they-"

"What ugly wheels you've got." Thomas commented.

Annie and Clarabel were shocked.

"Thomas!" they scolded.

But Terence wasn't offended.

"They're not ugly," he countered, "They're caterpillar tracks. I can go anywhere; I don't need rails."

Thomas thought the tractor was being rude.

"Well, I like my rails, thank you. I don't want to go anywhere."

The signal went down, and off went Thomas.

"Well, that wasn't a very good introduction." said Terence gravely.

Time passed, and soon, winter came, and with it came dark, heavy clouds full of snow.

As Thomas woke up in his shed at Ffarquhar, he stared in awe at the falling snow.

"Wow, I don't see snow too often." he grinned, "It looks wonderful."

His driver and fireman soon came to start work.

"Well, I don't like it." the driver said, looking up, "I just know it'll cause trouble. A heavier fall is coming..."

Thomas scoffed.

"What's wrong with that? Come on, let's get Annie and Clarabel."

"Alright, Thomas... I just hope it doesn't stop us."

Thomas rolled his eyes as he was coupled to Annie and Clarabel.

"Oh my, look at this snow!" cried Annie.

Soon, they were shunted into Ffarquhar, and the passengers got on board.

The guard blew his whistle, and Thomas bustled away.

"Be careful, Thomas." warned Clarabel, but Thomas just laughed.

As they got further out into the countryside, he noticed that the snow was melting on the rails.

This got him to be rather pompous.

"Pah! It's silly, soft stuff. There's nothing to it!" he chuckled as he scurried down the line, cold but confident.

But Annie and Clarabel were worried.

"Snow is dangerous, Thomas." said Annie.

"Indeed. You can never be too careful." added Clarabel.

Thomas just ignored them.

They finished their journey safely, and made it back home too.

But by this time, the country was covered with a blanket of white.

The two rails were dark lines, standing out in the snow.

Despite all this, Thomas was feeling pleased with himself.

"Silly, soft stuff! I told you all!" he chuckled as he entered Ffarquhar.

But he noticed a blue object sitting beside the line.

"Oh no, tell me I'm not going to have to use that." he groaned.

"Afraid so, Thomas. The snow's getting worse, and you'll need your snowplough for the next journey." said his driver.

"Snowplough? Huh! Snow is silly, soft stuff! I told you this many times already! It won't stop me!"

"Now, listen here. You're young yet, and you still have a lot to learn about this railway, including the snowy season. We're putting that snowplough on and I want no nonsense from you." the driver scolded.

But Thomas still grumbled as the driver fitted it.

"That should do it. Time to continue." the driver said and Thomas started off again.

But as soon as Thomas had left the station, he grumbled furiously; the snowplough as haavy and uncomfortable, and it made Thomas very cross indeed.

"Why should I have to wear it?" he fumed.

"To keep you safe, that's why." said Clarabel.

But Thomas just banged it.

Throughout the journey to Knapford and back, Thomas banged and shook the snowplough as much as he desired.

By the time Thomas got back to the shed that night, it was so damaged that the driver had no choice but to take it off.

Some workmen set the snowplough aside, and the driver came up to Thomas.

"I am displeased with your behavior today. You are a very naughty engine." he said crossly, and shut the door on Thomas.

But Thomas didn't show any remorse.

"Pah, stupid thing..." he said to himself.

The next morning, the driver opened the door.

Thomas yawned.

"It's early." he moaned.

"Exactly," said the driver sternly, "We're going to mend your snowplough."

Thomas sighed, and his crew set to work.

But they couldn't make the snowplough fit properly, and soon, it was time for the first train.

"Bother." said the fireman, "We'll have to leave this old thing here."

"Alright, but let's be cautious." said the driver.

Thomas puffed out of the shed and collected Annie and Clarabel.

He was pleased as he started on his journey.

"I don't have to wear it. I don't have to wear it!" he beamed to Annie and Clarabel.

"I'm ashamed of you, Thomas." scowled Annie.

"I hope it's alright." said Clarabel worriedly.

"I didn't need that stupid old thing yesterday, and I shan't today!" Thomas cheered as he scurried along, "Snow can't stop me!"

Thomas stopped at a little halt named Hackenbeck.

"Get off and on quickly please." he persisted.

They did so, and Thomas started off again.

He rounded a bend by a cottage, and neared a tunnel, thinking how clever he was.

At the other end of the tunnel, he saw a heap of snow that laid on the line that had fallen from the sides of the cutting.

Thomas just laughed.

"Silly old snow! I'm coming!" he sneered as he scurried through the tunnel.

"Thomas, maybe you should take this seriously." cried Annie.

"Indeed. You can get stuck." said Clarabel, but before Thomas could say anything, he charged into the heap of snow.

"Ha, I'm through!" Thomas cried out, but he soon realized he wasn't moving.

He looked around and realized he was fully covered in snow.

"Cinders and ashes!" he moaned, "I'm stuck!"

And he was.

"We told you so," grumbled Annie.

"Oh no," the driver groaned, "Back, Thomas! Back!"

Thomas tried to move, but his wheels spun helplessly.

The movement caused more snow to pile up around him.

Thomas felt very miserable.

The guard opened his door and saw what was going on.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Thomas got stuck in the snow." the driver sighed.

"Oh. I'll go and get help." the guard replied and he ran off.

"What are we supposed to do?" asked the fireman.

"Dig him out, I guess." said the driver.

So the driver, fireman, and passengers tried to dig Thomas out.

But as fast as they dug, more snow slipped down, until Thomas was nearly buried.

The tank engine was very upset.

"Oh, my wheels and coupling rods!" he fretted, "I'll have to stay here until I'm frozen!"

"Now look what you did!" scowled Clarabel.

"Oh, you're right! What a silly little engine I am!" Thomas said quietly.

Thomas regretted leaving the guard behind, and not listening to Annie and Clarabel.

He regretted wanting to go fishing and being so rude to Henry.

Most of all though, he regretted ever banging his snowplough.

Annie and Clarabel looked to each other, realizing they might've been a little bit hard on Thomas.

"Thomas, it's alright... We forgive you." Annie said warmly.

But Thomas didn't feel much better.

A bus drove up, looking giddy.

"A guard told me an engine was in trouble!" it said.

He looked down at Thomas' mess.

"Oh, that's him? Come along, passengers! Climb into me and I'll take you the rest of the way!" the bus said enthusiastically.

The passengers, not wanting to stand in the snow any longer, eagerly climbed onboard.

"Off we go!" the bus honked as he drove away.

Thomas now felt very lonely.

"Oh, everyone's leaving." he groaned.

"We'll, stay, Thomas." said Clarabel, "It's not like we can go anywhere."

Suddenly, all three heard an odd noise in the tunnel.

"Who's that?" asked Thomas slowly.

Clarabel noticed something.

"I think someone's inside the tunnel!" she gasped.

"And you'd be right," said a voice as an orange tractor chugged out of the tunnel.

"Terence!" cried Annie and Clarabel.

At any other time, Thomas would've been embarrassed but he was too desperate to care.

"Hello, it's me: Terence! Don't worry, Thomas. I'll get you out of this mess." Terence said.

Snow never mattered to Terence; he'd dealt with situations like this before.

He was chained to Clarabel.

The driver, pleased that they were being rescued, uncoupled Annie from Thomas.

Terence chugged back and Annie and Clarabel clattered behind.

"Annie... Clarabel." groaned Thomas, but the two coaches already disappeared into the tunnel.

But it wasn't long before Terence came back for Thomas.

Thomas' wheels were clear, but still spun when he tried to move.

Terence began to pull.

His treads slipped at times, but still gripped the snow.

He slipped and tugged, and slipped and tugged, until, at last, he dragged the snow-covered Thomas until the tunnel.

In the tunnel, Thomas let off steam, and the snow blew off him.

Terence coughed.

"Oh, I'm sorry." apologized Thomas.

"It's fine," coughed Terence, "It's only snow."

Thomas was very grateful indeed as Terence's chain was unhooked and he puffed to his coaches.

"Thank you, Terence. I'm sorry I teased you about your caterpillar tracks. They're very splendid!" he said.

"I'm sorry if I came across as rude, too," added Terence, "I can go anywhere, and it's useful for situations such as this."

"Agreed!" said Thomas.

"I hope, you'll be sensible now, Thomas," said his driver firmly.

"Oh, of course, sir. Yes, sir. I'll try, sir." said Thomas quickly as he puffed back home.


	4. Thomas and Bertie

Spring soon hit the Island of Sodor, and Thomas the Tank Engine's branch line was blooming with beauty.

Trees had their green leaves back, and the rest of the plants looked better than ever.

White, puffy clouds loomed in the air.

Thomas was feeling particularly happy as he puffed into Knapford Station.

He waited for Edward's connection so he could continue for another run along his line.

But he started to get a little bored.

"Where is he?" asked Thomas, miffed.

"He's not late, yet." teased Annie.

"Well, true, but it's boring sitting here at the platform waiting for him." grumbled Thomas.

The coaches chuckled to each other, just as a loud horn sounded through the station.

"Who is that?" wondered Thomas.

He got his answer when a bright red bus drove up.

Thomas noticed it.

"Hello," Thomas said, "Who are you?"

"I'm Bertie the Bus. Who are you?"

"I'm Thomas. I run this branch line. I got it after helping one of my friends from a nasty accident."

"Oh, so _you_ are Thomas! I remember now! You got stuck in the snow last winter, and I took your passengers. Then, Terence pulled you out! He told me all about it when I visited him." said Bertie.

Thomas was offended; he didn't like being reminded of that incident.

"What of it?" he asked bluntly.

"Well, I came to help with your passengers. today." Bertie grinned.

Thomas was now very cross, and let off steam angrily.

"Help _me_? Nonsense. I can run this line by myself, thank you." Thomas grunted.

"Everyone needs help sometimes." said the bus.

"I can go faster than _you_!" argued Thomas.

"You can't." chuckled Bertie.

"Can too!"

"I'll race you. That'll prove it." suggested Bertie.

Their drivers agreed to the race.

Annie and Clarabel were a little worried.

"Are you sure this is safe, Thomas?" asked Annie.

"Positive. We won't pass any stations or anything." puffed Thomas.

This got the coaches to be more enthusiastic.

"Oh, how exciting! I just hope nothing bad happens." said Clarabel.

Just then, Edward arrived.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Edward, I met a new bus. His name's Bertie." explained Thomas.

"Actually I've been here a while." muttered Bertie.

"And we're going to race!" finished Thomas.

"Isn't that... dangerous though?" asked Edward worriedly as the passengers started to board Annie and Clarabel.

"We'll be careful." promised Thomas.

"Well... if you say so." murmured Edward.

"Edward, can you start us off?" asked Thomas.

"Uh, well... alright. Get ready... get set... go!" and the blue engine blew his whistle loud and long.

Thomas puffed away as fast as his pistons could pump, and Bertie drove out onto the road.

But Thomas wasn't as quick as Annie and Clarabel hoped he would be.

Bertie drew quickly in front, and felt rather pleased with himself.

"Heh heh; Thomas doesn't know what he's talking about. He can't beat me." he said to no-one in particular.

Thomas was still running well, but he wasn't in a hurry.

"Why don't you go fast?" asked Clarabel.

"He's going to win!" spluttered Annie.

"I've got a plan. Wait and see," whispered Thomas.

"But he's a long way ahead." cried Clarabel.

"How will you ever catch up?" asked Annie.

Thomas just grinned.

Annie and Clarabel looked anxiously to each other.

But Thomas didn't mind; he remembered the level crossing before Dryaw.

Behind the gate, Bertie was fuming.

"Come on gate, hurry up! I have to win!" he moaned.

Thomas whistled and sailed by.

"Goodbye Bertie! See you later!" called Thomas.

Bertie just grunted as the gates opened.

Thomas stopped at Dryaw Station, but quickly began again.

He didn't see Bertie on the road behind the station, so he figured he was behind, and he was.

"I must catch up, I must." Bertie panted as he stopped at a stop sign.

But as soon as Thomas left the station, the road left the railway and into the village of Toryeck.

Soon they stopped at the village station.

"Get on and out quickly please!" persisted Thomas.

The passengers did so, and Thomas, with Annie and Clarabel rattling behind, set off again.

Usually Annie and Clarabel wouldn't like Thomas' hurrying, but they were too excited about the race.

To contain his excitement, Thomas began to sing as usual.

"Come along, come along!" he sang.

"We're coming along! We're coming along!" sang the coaches.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!" Thomas panted, who was trying to be fast, like Gordon, again.

Suddenly he whistled loudly in horror; up ahead, Bertie was driving over the bridge that crossed the railway, tooting triumphantly.

"Well, Thomas, it seems you've lost. Good luck next time!" he laughed as he drove out of sight.

"Oh deary me! How am I ever going to catch up now?" Thomas moaned.

"He's a long way in front." groaned Annie and Clarabel.

"Steady Thomas," comforted his driver, "We'll beat Bertie yet!"

Annie and Clarabel became more cheerful.

"Yes, Thomas! We'll beat him yet!" said Clarabel.

"And we'll be safe while doing it!" added Annie.

"We'll do it... We will do it!" chuffed Thomas.

Then he noticed that Elsbridge was up ahead.

"Oh bother! There's another station! I hope he won't be too far in front..."

As he came to a halt, he heard yet another triumphant honk of a familiar horn.

"Goodbye Thomas! You must be tried; look at your red face. Almost as red as my bright and chipper paintwork. Sorry I can't stop; we buses have to work you know. Toodles!" and Bertie drove to the road bridge that crossed the river where Thomas "went fishing".

"Toodles!" scowled Thomas indignantly, "The nerve!"

"He's quite a bit rude." added Clarabel.

"Oh, but we've surely lost now." moaned Thomas, "He's probably already over the bridge..."

"No worries, Thomas. Let's just get you filled up with water and we'll be on our way." said his driver.

Thomas did feel better after his drink and his confidence was back up.

Just then, James puffed in on the other platform with a goods train.

"What are you doing here, James?" asked Thomas, "Shouldn't you be on the Main Line?"

"I was asked to pull a goods train at Tidmouth. Disgusting, it is. What are you doing?" muttered James.

"Racing a bus named Bertie. I'm going to win!" grinned Thomas.

"Well, have fun. At least you don't have to pull these Troublesome Trucks." James sighed.

The signal dropped, and Thomas puffed away.

As the train rumbled over the Elsbridge Viaduct, they all heard an impatient "Toot toot!"

There was Bertie, waiting at the traffic light as other cars and lorries drove by.

"Bother." he grumbled, "All this traffic will not only make me lose, but also make me late!"

Thomas said nothing as he steamed in front.

Now the road and the rail ran alongside again, with a stream flowing between.

Suddenly they all heard a roar, and Bertie shot past them.

"Bertie!" fumed Thomas as he went faster.

"Don't go too fast, Thomas!" yelped Annie.

"Yes, we don't want an accident!" added Clarabel.

But the passengers on both train and bus cheered as the two struggled to keep up with each other.

Now Thomas was reaching his full speed, and yard by yard, Thomas and Bertie were level.

Realizing that he could lose, Bertie tried to gain ground, but Thomas was too fast.

"Oh no." he thought, "Now I've done it!"

Slowly but surely, Thomas drew ahead, until, whistling triumphantly, he plunged into Hackenbeck Tunnel, leaving a dazed bus toiling behind.

"I never knew he was _that_ fast," Bertie spluttered.

"I've done it! I have done it!" Thomas peeped as his voice and whistle echoed in the tunnel.

"We've done it! Hurray!" cheered Annie and Clarabel together.

Thomas, boiler bubbling with pride, raced out of the tunnel and into Ffarquhar Station.

The passengers climbed out of Annie and Clarabel and cheered.

"Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray, for Thomas the Tank Engine!" they chanted.

"What's all this about?" asked the stationmaster, and the passengers recounted all of the race.

"Well, that's surely something." chuckled the stationmaster, "Hopefully you rode safely."

"Yes indeed," chuffed Thomas, "We wouldn't uncomfortable rides on this island."

Just then, Bertie raced in beside Thomas.

Despite him losing, all the passengers gave three cheers for Bertie too to show good sportsmanship.

Bertie, who was still panting for breath, looked to Thomas.

"Well done Thomas! That was fun, but to beat you over that hill, I'd have to grow wings and become an areoplane!"

Thomas laughed.

"Well, it was fun all the same, Maybe we should do it again sometime."

"Wouldn't that be fun?" grinned Bertie, "Maybe I'll beat you next time."

"Try me, slowcoach." teased Thomas.

That night, the Fat Controller drove up to Ffarquhar Shed.

Thomas gulped, fearing the worst.

But the Fat Controller wasn't cross, although he wasn't happy either.

"Thomas, I heard about your little race today. Erm... Needless to say, it was pretty dangerous. You do know what happens to engines who race at dangerous speeds, Thomas?" he asked.

"N-no sir."

"Well, it won't be pretty. If you race, at least try and consider your passengers." and the Fat Controller left.

Thomas felt dread for the rest of the night.

These days, Thomas and Bertie keep each other very busy.

Bertie finds people in the villages at bus stops and takes them to the railway stations, where Thomas picks them up, while Thomas takes people from other places along the branch line for Bertie to take home.

They often talk about their race, but Bertie's passengers admitted they didn't like being bounced like peas in a frying pan.

Thomas and Bertie often talk of wanting to have another race, but, at this time at least, it's unlikely they'll have another massive race.

All the same, the two are now firm friends, and Terence often talks to them too.

Thomas' friendships with the Main Line Engines remain strong and he is happy to work on the Fat Controller's railway.


End file.
